


Easily Sunshine and Summer Green

by Chezmeralda



Category: Free!
Genre: Fluff, Growing Up, M/M, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-08-19
Updated: 2014-10-24
Packaged: 2018-02-13 20:15:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 12,508
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2163774
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chezmeralda/pseuds/Chezmeralda
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alternate Title: The Time Captain Mikoshiba Learned How Easy it is to Love a Green Eyed Angel</p><p>Joint practices were becoming something to look forward to for Mikoshiba...</p><p>//ON HIATUS UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE (focusing on other projects rn)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A New Perspective

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We start off with a joint practice, and blatant staring. No harm, right?

Joint practices were becoming a regular thing as the weather got colder. For the Samezuka team, it almost felt normal to see the small team of four swimmers around them everyday for the set time after school to run through stretches and warm up laps.

It also helped that, in this all boys school of dedicated swimmers, the Iwatobi swim team had a cute female manager (even if she was related to a fellow team member).

Not that this was weighing down on Seijuurou Mikoshiba’s mind anymore. Sure, he had taken a very intense interest to her at first, but she clearly showed her disinterest, and he respectfully bowed out. He definitely didn’t need further encouragement from her older brother, but he would never let Matsuoka know that his threat to bite him had sort of helped in his decision to back down.

He scanned the pool over his team as he watched the warm up laps, when his eyes landed on the other captain present at the practice today. His slight pause in his scan would go unnoticed, but to anyone who was extra observant, it might raise the slightest of suspicions.

Seijuurou was careful about his quick, stolen glances at the tall boy in the very well fitted leg skins. Not that he was embarrassed by anything, but rather he didn’t want to scare him off and make joint practices awkward. Especially since this colder season promised many more future joint practices.

It’s not as though he never noticed the other captain before, hard not to, considering his height. But Seijuurou’s real first impression of Makoto Tachibana was of him during the summer, when he got to watch him swim competitively for the first time.

Even though in his individual race he didn’t place high enough to make it to the semi-finals, Seijuurou could tell that Makoto was a powerful swimmer. From the way his legs held a steady rhythm, to how his powerful arms cut through the water, and how his arms rippled with the right amount of muscle…

_Dangerous thoughts, Seijuurou_ , he chided himself.

He continued to look over his team and yell instructions as some of the first years were getting ready to go back in for another lap. His instructions were almost, almost cut short, when his eyes landed on the other captain stretching his back. Luckily the first years had jumped into the water for any of them to really take notice.

Seijuurou’s gaze was just about to follow the first years’ lap when Makoto turned around and caught him looking. Seijuurou mentally panicked, but was blessed with a miracle when Makoto smiled at him. He merely nodded his head in acknowledgment as he went back to watching the first years.

No one needed to know about the parade going on inside his head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I submitted this a while ago to dettsu on tumblr and I finally decided to move it here so I could finish it.
> 
> It's a short prologue to a fanfic that (I REALLY HOPE) will be safe and family friendly.
> 
> I don't know where I'll be going from here, but it's a prologue, so maybe I won't even follow Seijuurou's path in the story... Maybe I'll follow Makoto. (We'll see I don't really know.)


	2. Should we Ease into This?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Seijuurou's first attempt at really dropping a hint at Makoto. Too bad the wrong person noticed what he was doing.

The change room was mostly empty, save for the Iwatobi team and a couple of stragglers when Seijuurou walks in. The little blonde one looked like he was harassing Nitori, judging by the amazing shade of red he was turning, but he didn't think too much of it. Especially since it looked like Matsuoka was just as annoyed by the string of questions.

"H-Hazuki-san, I don't think I should answer those questions..." Nitori manages to stutter out through his growing embarrassment.

"Aww, what's wrong Ai-chan? You can tell us anything you want about Rin-Rin! Is he a good roommate? A bad one? Is he messy? Does he have gravure magazines under his bed???" Hazuki's string of questions add more and more red to Nitori's face. Matsuoka looks like he's had just about enough as well, especially after the last few questions.

"Nagisa, if you want to keep all your fingers, I suggest you stop this line of questions," Matsuoka snapped as he grabs the blonde by the head, probably making to squeeze the lights out of him.

The other three members of the Iwatobi swim team look on with a variation of concern. Nanase didn't seem at all phased, although Seijuurou noticed an arched eyebrow. The one with the red glasses - Ryugazaki, was it? - looked as though he wasn't sure if he should try to appease Matsuoka, or pull Hazuki out of his vice grip and in to safety. 

His gaze stopped last at Makoto, and the look on his face could only be described as "motherly concern", although he had no clue why he would describe it like that.

As he wondered this, he got startled out of his thoughts when he realized Makoto was looking at him. He hoped that he didn't realize he had been looking at him this whole time.

"Oh! Mikoshiba-san, how did your meeting with the coach go?" he heard Makoto say. _Good_ , he thought. _No sign that he knows I've been staring at him a lot recently._

"It went all right. What's going on here?" Seijurou quickly changed the subject.

Makoto laughed in a sort of exasperated way, and all Seijurou could think of was how cute he sounded. "Oh, well, you know, the usual," Makoto said as he scratched his cheek.

Seijuurou turned to look at the scene again, just in time to see a very flustered Nitori and Ryugazaki try to calm down a slightly flustered Matsuoka as he held the Hazuki kid in a headlock. 

"Oi, Matsuoka!" Seijuurou's Captain voice cut through the chaos as four heads snapped to attention. "No rough housing inside the shower room. Take it outside, if you have to."

Matsuoka let go of Hazuki, glaring at him sidelong before turning to Seijuurou. "Right. Sorry about that," he said plainly.

The rough housing quickly turned into idle chatter after that, and the stragglers of his team and the Iwatobi team were ready to leave. "Ah, right. Tachibana?" Seijuurou called out just as the group began to exit the change room. 

"Ah, yes, Mikoshiba-san?" the tall boy turned to look at him full on, and Seijuurou had to momentarily stop short to catch what breath he lost. _Those eyes are dangerous_ , he thought.

"Could you let your manager know that she needs to talk to me and the other club executives before the next practice? She left early today so I couldn't tell her myself," Seijuurou said. He noticed the Nanase kid standing at the doorway, giving him an odd look before leaving. 

"Oh, of course. I can do that. Thank you for letting us practice with you by the way," Makoto smiled at Seijuurou. Seijuurou suddenly felt his heart do a back flip. He laughed it off, hoping it sounded natural.

"Anything for a fellow captain, Tachibana! Don't sweat it!" he bellowed as he slapped Makoto's shoulder in a friendly way. "If there's anything you need to ask about, swimming advice or otherwise, you just let me know."

"Thank you, Mikoshiba-san," Makoto answered gently. _He really is too sweet for his own good_ , Seijuurou thought as they walked out of the change room together.

"I'm serious, Tachibana," Seijuurou said, gentling his hold on Makoto's shoulder. Was that a blush on his cheek or was Seijuurou imagining it? He hoped he wasn't.

"Makoto," a voice cut through their conversation and both he and Makoto turned to see Nanase standing at the exit, obviously waiting for his friend. Matsuoka was also there, sports drink in hand and eyeing the captain suspiciously.

"Ah, I'll be there in a second, Haru! Thanks again, Mikoshiba-san," Makoto said as he jogged lightly up to his friend. Seijuurou stayed where he was standing and watched them leave out the door.

"I'll walk you guys to the gate," he heard Matsuoka say. Seijuurou turned to the vending machine nearby and got a protein bar before he started heading to his room. 

He was lying on his bed, contemplating whether or not he actually imagined that slight blush on Makoto's cheek when there was a knock on his door. He opened it to find a very bashful looking Matsuoka.

"Is there anything I can do for you?" he said, leaning on the door frame as he finished off his protein bar. He watched Matsuoka shift his weight from foot to foot, as if contemplating what to say, or how to say it.

"Captain. Uh, listen. You don't... You shouldn't... Stop what you're doing with Makoto," Matsuoka finally says. Seijuurou stopped chewing to look at Matsuoka, heat creeping up to his ears.

"Stop what?" he said, hoping that what Matsuoka was addressing is not what he thinks he's addressing.

Matsuoka made an irritated sound in his throat as he mussed up the back of his head with his hand. "Haru told me he caught you staring at Makoto, and he asked me to tell you to stop," he finally blurted out.

 _Ah, Nanase noticed_ , Seijuurou thought. He figured that he would. Nanase happened to be very observant when it came to Makoto; he was his best friend after all. 

Seijuurou was roused from his thoughts by Matsuoka's muttering. "... thought you liked my sister, now Makoto, too. Honestly," he sighed, exasperated with the whole thing.

Seijuurou crumpled the protein bar wrapper and threw it in his waste basket, then turned back to look at Matsuoka. He was looking at him properly now, and Seijuurou couldn't help the quirked eyebrow as he regarded his face. "Captain, don't bother Makoto. I won't accept it," Matsuoka said.

"First Gou-kun, and now Tachibana, too, huh?" Seijuurou muttered. He knew that Matsuoka heard because his expression changed as he grit his teeth. "What happens between your captain and the Iwatobi captain is nothing for you to worry about. Don't be so serious, Matsuoka! You'll get wrinkles before you turn twenty!" he said as he smacked Matsuoka in the back. He heard him grunt with each forceful hit, hoping it was enough to distract him.

"Ow! Captain! That! Really hurts!" Matsuoka managed between hits. After a while, he rubbed his back, glaring at Seijuurou. "I'm just warning you. I'm not the one you need to be worried about," he muttered, massaging the sting.

 _Right. Nanase_ , Seijuurou remembered. He just shrugged at Matsuoka. "Get some rest," he said. He watched Matsuoka enter his dorm, still muttering about the whole thing. Seijuurou supposed he'd just have to wait and see exactly how bad Nanase will be next practice.

He thinks he'll be able to handle it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're wondering why I refer to a lot of the characters with their last names, it's because we're sort of following Seijuurou, who's not close to them. It didn't seem to fit for me, to call them by their first names when we're sort of second handedly looking through Seijuurou's thoughts.


	3. Give Fair Warning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We cut to a quick break to the Iwatobi friends as a certain quiet, water-loving boy tells his best friend to beware of wolves with red hair.

Makoto nearly choked on his mouthful of rice when he heard what Haru said.

"I-I'm sorry, Haru. Could you... repeat what you said?" he asked him, eyes watering still at the itch in his throat.

Haru sighed, and handed Makoto a bottle of water to help soothe the cough that was rising in his mouth. "I said: beware of the other captain. He's a wolf with red fur," Haru said. "... Hair."

"And why should I be aware of Mikoshiba-san?" Makoto asked as he wiped off his mouth. He felt his eyebrows raise as he regarded Haru's expression. _Is there something I'm missing?_ he thought to himself.

"I suggest you not be alone with him for too long," Haru continued.

"What? Why?" Makoto stammered, but Haru pushed ahead.

"If you have to talk to him, me or Rin could stand near you-"

"Hold on, Haru, what's-"

"-if he asks you to go anywhere with him, get Rin to do-"

"-I don't get why you're so-"

"-if he gives you anything, don't tak-"

"Haru!!" Makoto said, flailing his hands in front of his best friend to get him to stop. He sighed deeply, feeling a headache coming on just as Haru finally stopped. He pressed his palm to his forehead and rubbed, and looked at Haru, who simply regarded him like he should be listening to everything that he just said. 

"Please explain to me what this is about first," he muttered. When Haru made no move to speak, Makoto took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Please."

Haru held his breath, and let it out slowly, giving in a little. "The Samezuka captain... has been... _watching_ you, a lot... recently," he managed lamely. He watched Makoto lower his hand from his forehead as he stared at him in confusion. Haru closed his eyes slowly, trying to find the right words.

"As in?" Makoto began after a moment of silence.

"As in he stares at you a lot... during practice," Haru tried again. He watched as Makoto's eyes slowly widened with slow realization, cheeks hinting at pink.

Haru pushed forward. "As in he checks you out. Blatantly," he finished, putting a piece of mackerel in his mouth as he watched Makoto's mouth slowly open.

Makoto gaped like a fish out of water at Haru, unsure of what to say. He had no words for the information he was just given. He found himself covering his mouth and looking away from Haru to hide his embarrassment. "... I-Is that so?" he managed after a moment. He could feel Haru's eyes drill into the top of his head.

"Makoto?" he heard Haru say, obviously concerned by his lack of reaction. Or lack of the reaction he was expecting.

"I-Is that so? I guess I really will have to be careful, huh?" Makoto said. He watched as Haru nodded, obviously satisfied with his response.

There was no need for Haru to know that Makoto was not only flattered, but also _relieved_ , and immensely so. Relieved because he now knew he wasn't the only one with the case of wandering eyes.

Joint practices were going to be so much more difficult now that he knew.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought it would be a good idea to add a few chapters in between (I've made it my goal to stick with Seijuurou mostly) to hear from Makoto's side/other characters witnessing this occurrence between the two captains. I'll try to keep these chapters short (ish). Hopefully it makes sense.


	4. Interrupting Cow Goes...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There are bumps in the road when it comes to finding true love... or when it comes to asking about a number.

Mikoshiba stretched his muscles out and prepared to dive in the water, unaware that two sets of eyes were watching him from across the pool.

"Did you see that?" Rin said, regarding his captain and where his eyes had currently landed on.

"Yeah," Haru responded, following that same gaze to Makoto, who was stretching out his back after his lap to keep his muscles warm.

Rin clicked his tongue when the captain dove into the water, eyes on Makoto now, who was engaged in a conversation with a very energetic Nagisa. "He has to stretch in public? I'm surprised half of my team hasn't jumped him yet," he said clearly annoyed by the whole thing. He turned to Haru. "So? What do we do about the captain?" he asked, crossing his arms.

"We poison his mackerel," Haru replied automatically.

"No, that's not going to work. No one eats mackerel as much as you for that to work."

"We steal his swimsuits."

"I think you'd be the only one who would actually be ruined by that," Rin said with a snort. Haru turned to glare at him with a frown. He crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes at Rin, who looked a bit taken aback by his expression.

"Well, you're not thinking of anything," he heard Haru mutter after a moment. Rin sagged his shoulders as he scratched the back of his head, obviously at a loss.

He looked over to where Makoto was standing, still talking to Nagisa. The captain still seemed to be in the water, probably doing a set of laps to make up for letting his team go before him. Rin looked back to Haru.

"I think the only thing we can do is just watch the captain and make sure they don't spend too much time alone. Did you at least warn Makoto?" he asked. Haru nodded, but seemed unsatisfied.

"I told him at lunch today," Haru said. Rin watched his expression, which was still somewhat sour.

"And?"

"He didn't seem opposed to Mikoshiba," Haru said blankly. Rin made an annoyed sound at the back of his throat.

"I guess we'll just have to do all the work..."

 

For the next hour of practice, Haru and Rin were practically glued to Makoto's hip, much to Mikoshiba's chagrin and Makoto's confusion.

"Ah! Tachibana, if I could have a word..." Mikoshiba started. Haru elbowed Rin in the ribs and he stumbled forward.

"Makoto! Could you time me? I want to see if I can break my time today," he called out. Makoto turned to him.

"Can't Haru do...? Nope, he's in the water. Well, all right I guess. Sorry, Mikoshiba-san, just a second," Makoto said to the captain as Rin handed him a stopwatch.

Mikoshiba scratched his head. "Oh, no that's fine, you go ahead. I need to fix the first years' forms anyway. It can wait," Mikoshiba said, glancing briefly at Rin. Rin tried not to let it show, but he could feel himself sweat nervously at Mikoshiba's blatantly blank expression when he glanced at him. _This better not get me killed_ , Rin thought as he dove in, just as Haru got out.

Haru glanced at Rin's lane, before turning to look for where the Samezuka captain was. He seemed to be squatting near the edge of the pool, correcting a first year's form. Makoto's hand greeted him when he started to get out.

"Good lap, Haru," he said, eyes still on Rin as he made the turn.

Haru took Makoto's hand and got out of the pool, watching Rin in the final stretch. Movement caught his eye and he noticed the Samezuka captain heading over.

"Makoto! How'd I do?" Rin gasped as he came out of the water. Makoto glanced down.

"You beat yourself by a fraction of a second. That's pretty good," Makoto said, smiling at Rin as he got out of the pool. 

Rin clicked his tongue as he looked at his record sheet and the stopwatch. "Not really what I wanted to hear," he muttered. He felt eyes bearing into his head and he looked up to see Haru staring at him. He looked behind him and felt himself panic as he noticed his captain striding over towards the trio.

"Uh, hey! Makoto! You go next!" he blurted out.

"Eh?"

"I'll time you," Haru chimed in, taking the stopwatch from Makoto's hand.

"Haru, you too?" Makoto said, turning to his friend, who avoided his gaze by staring at the stopwatch. Makoto sighed, defeated, and prepared to get into the water.

Mikoshiba reached them just as Makoto dove in. He turned to look at the pair standing near the edge of the pool. Rin looked anywhere but the captain, and Haru had his eyes transfixed on the lane Makoto was in.

Rin let out a slow breath when his captain finally turned to leave, probably opting to wait until after practice to talk to Makoto. "This is making me way too nervous, Haru," he said. 

Haru nodded, opting not to say anything as Makoto slapped the wall. He came up, breathing heavily.

"You did well, Makoto," Rin said as he reached down to help him out of the water. Makoto took his hand, and got out of the water.

He glanced over Haru's shoulder, muttering, "... That's actually pretty good. It's a little less than half a second faster," he looked up and smiled at Haru. Haru glanced away, handing Makoto the watch and prepared to dive in.

 

After practice, the trio were in the change room, getting ready to leave, when Makoto received a phone call from his mom.

"Ah, one second, you guys, I'll be outside," he said as he held the phone to his ear and rushed out of the room.

Rin turned to Haru once Makoto was out the door. "The captain wants us dead," he said, deadpan. 

"He's not going anywhere near Makoto," Haru answered flatly. 

The two stayed in silence for a moment, when something occurred to Rin.

"Say, Haru," Rin began. Haru stopped what he was doing and stared at Rin, whose ears were starting to turn the faintest shade of pink at his train of thoughts.

"Why are you so protective of Makoto?"

"I just am," he said simply, as if that answer was sufficient enough.

"Well, if you're so opposed to the captain dating Makoto, why don't you date him?" Rin said. Haru stared at him blankly, and Rin could feel his ears go redder.

Haru continued to stare silently at Rin until he couldn't take it anymore. "Oi! At least answer me!" he blasted. Haru breathed a sigh.

"Do you like your sister?" Haru said, catching Rin off guard. 

"W-what kind of question-," Rin began to stutter, but Haru cut him off.

"You're overprotective of Kou, so-"

"Haru, me being protective of Gou is different, she's my _sister_ and-"

"Would you date her?"

"Ew! Haru! What's your point?!" Rin screeched, clapping his hands over his eyes, even more impossibly red than before.

"You asked me if I would date Makoto, so I asked you if you'd date Kou. It's basically the same thing," Haru stated. After a beat, he added "... although it's more like mom-brother."

Rin stared at Haru, trying to comprehend what he meant by "mom-brother". "Nevermind, forget I asked," he sighed.

"Asked about what, Rin-chan?" he heard a voice echo through the change room.

"Nothing, Nagisa. I thought you left with Rei," Rin said, going back to changing. Nagisa grinned and flashed a peace sign at him.

"I just walked him to the door. He had to leave quickly, so I came back to get my stuff. Why won't you date Mako-chan, Haru-chan?" he said, turning to Haru, who stopped what he was doing.

 _Shit, he heard_ , Rin thought, wishing he could strangle the blond interrogating Haru, who made no effort to answer him. Nagisa changed tactics and turned to Rin, who avoided eye contact.

"Rin-chan, is that why you and Haru were next to Makoto all practice? Ooh, were both of you trying to ask Makoto out? How cute, Rin-Rin! You're so romantic," Nagisa giggled.

"First, drop the 'Rin-Rin' and second, no, that's not why we were around him," Rin muttered, folding his leg skins in his bag.

"Then why-"

"None of your business," Rin cut off Nagisa. Nagisa began to pout.

"Boo, you guys are no fun. You shouldn't hide stuff from me! I can help!" he said, puffing his cheeks out. Neither of the other two boys made to answer him, so he switched the subject.

"Then, if you neither of you asked Mako-chan out, I guess that leaves him free," he said, looking to both of them.

"I guess," Rin said. Haru still made no move to answer.

"Mako-chan's pretty popular, too! He gets confessions from everyone a lot, right, Haru-chan?" he turned to Haru. Rin looked at Haru with a furrowed brow. _Just how popular is Makoto, exactly_ , he thought to himself.

"Yeah," was all Haru said.

"I guess that might be why Captain Mikoshiba is talking to him right now," Nagisa said with a finger on his chin, as if lost in thought. Both heads snapped to look at him.

"What?"

"Well, I saw the Samezuka captain talking to Mako-chan-"

"Where?!"

"Just outside, near the vending machines-" Nagisa couldn't even finish his sentence as the two boys rushed out of the change room. Nagisa giggled to himself. "So obvious," he said.

Haru and Rin ran to the vending machines to hear Makoto say "Ah, no! It's not a problem at all, Mikoshiba-san. I was thinking we should have done this a long time ago, so we wouldn't have to communicate through Gou-chan."

"Well, I would have told Gou-kun to just give you my number herself, but it would be crass since we see each other at practice," Mikoshiba replied. 

Rin and Haru stared back and forth between Makoto and Mikoshiba, until Makoto noticed they were there. "Ah, Haru! Rin! Sorry I took so long. We can go now. I've just finished talking with Mikoshiba-san," he said.

"About what?" Haru said.

"Ah, nothing too important, just-"

"We exchanged numbers. No point in communicating through a third party all the time," Mikoshiba finished, clapping Makoto on the shoulder. Makoto smiled at Mikoshiba.

Haru turned to Rin with a blank stare. Rin didn't know what to say, noting that Mikoshiba's hand still rested on Makoto's shoulder. He was roused from his thoughts by Mikoshiba. "I'll head off to bed. See you boys tomorrow. Good work at practice today," he said. The three of them watched him go. Rin felt Mikoshiba give him the side eye, as if to say _Nice try, Matsuoka_.

"Something the matter, you guys?" they heard Makoto say. They both turned to him.

"No, nothing," Rin said.

"Let's go home," Haru said, tugging on Makoto's sleeve. Makoto stuttered a good-bye to Rin, who saw them off from the gate. Nagisa had texted him, saying that he had headed home already, and that he wished him good luck, and that he would help them out if they needed to. Rin just sighed and made to text Haru. Until he saw that Haru texted him first.

Fr: Nanase Haruka  
Snt : 9:54 PM  
Msg: _Code Red_

Rin sighed as he replied. This was already more of a headache than he expected.

To: Nanase Haruka  
Snd: 9:55 PM  
Msg: _Agreed._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... this chatper became longer than the other three. Here we followed Rin and Haru. What cockblocks! I think I've had way too much fun this chapter. It's kind of like children getting in between parents when they wanna get jiggy with it. 
> 
> There'll be no romantic!RinHaru here, since I really just wanna focus on Seijuurou and Makoto. It'll be fine, trust me. There'll be no less of their dynamic.
> 
> Also, since Nagisa is the Harbinger of Chaos incarnate, he'll help no side. Just make things worse.
> 
> One more thing, since Rin will probably be the source of swearing, should I change the rating to teen because of that? Or do you think that the rating now is still ok?


	5. Baby Steps are Good

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seijuurou contemplates the future and has a nice conversation.

Seijuurou sighed as he looked at the paper in his hand. His three choice universities were written on it, with two checks and a cross next to each name. He had been scouted by two of them and the last one was much too far for him to stay close by to his family. He didn't want to be too far to be unable to come home on the weekends.

He clicked his tongue and put his hands over his head, leaning back into his mattress. He wanted to be around to watch his younger siblings, especially since he had a little brother that would be entering the academy soon. The only problem was deciding which university he would say yes to.

On the one hand, his first choice had a great swim program, and with that program he could go professional. But there was certainly no way he'd be able to live as an athlete forever, and his back up as a sports therapist didn't have enough funding at his first choice university.

On the other hand, his second choice had a fantastic sports rehab center, and a fantastic research program as well. But the swim team was established a measly five years ago by a young coach, and was barely making waves in the sports world. Did Seijuurou want to pioneer a swim career at a bare minimum facility with a guaranteed back up plan, or did he want to amaze the world at the perfect swim establishment, only to fall into obscurity and possible hard times?

Well, maybe falling into obscurity was a bit dramatic, but it wasn't as though it _wasn't_ a possibility. He rolled onto his side and checked his phone, only to notice that it was already around 4 am on a Saturday. Just how long had he been agonizing over this?

He was about to put his phone on his bedside table when he felt it vibrate in his hand. He opened it only to be pleasantly surprised.

Fr: Tachibaby Makoto❤  
Snt: 4:03 AM  
Msg: _Having trouble sleeping?_

Seijuurou felt the smallest of smiles pull at the corners of his mouth. How considerate could one person actually get?

To: Tachibaby Makoto❤  
Snd: 4:03 AM  
Msg: _could say the same 4 u. y r u still up?_

Seijuurou fell back on his bed just as he received the next message.

Fr: Tachibaby Makoto❤  
Snt: 4:04 AM  
Msg: (⌒_⌒;) _Ah, I watched a scary movie with my little siblings, and now I can't sleep_

Seijuurou felt a chuckle rise in his throat. Honestly, how more adorable could one guy get?

To: Tachibaby Makoto❤  
Snd: 4:05 AM  
Msg: _ur too cute. r u sure ur as big as u r??_ ( ˘ ³˘)❤

Seijuurou felt the chuckle escape his lips as he read Tachibana's reply.

Fr: Tachibaby Makoto❤  
Snt: 4:05 AM  
Msg: (つω⊂* ) _Are you always this flirty when you text?_

Adorable. Too adorable. Seijuurou replied almost right away.

To: Tachibaby Makoto❤  
Snd: 4:05 AM  
Msg: _no, just with u_

Heat creeped up Seijuurou's neck after pressing send on his phone. _Too forward, Seijuurou. You've scared him off now_ , he thought to himself, wanting to punch himself in the face. He felt relief when he felt his phone vibrate a little later.

Fr: Tachibaby Makoto❤  
Snt: 4:07 AM  
Msg: _Flattery. Why are you up so late?_

Seijuurou sighed, both relieved and exasperated. His message to Tachibana wasn't flattery in the slightest. He set himself to replying; he could correct Tachibana at a later time.

To: Tachibaby Makoto❤  
Snd: 4:08 AM  
Msg: _was looking at unis. lost track of time._

Seijuurou felt his phone vibrate in his hand twice consecutively and opened the new messages.

Fr: Tachibaby Makoto❤  
Snt: 4:08 AM  
Msg: _Are you having a hard time?_

Fr: Tachibaby Makoto❤  
Snt: 4:09 AM  
Msg: _Want to talk about it?_

He could feel warmth seeping into his chest as he read those messages. It had only been, what, a handful of days since he and the Iwatobi captain had exchanged numbers, and Tachibana was already willing to stay up with him in the wee hours of the morning while he contemplated his future. The boy was too sweet. He had to have been made from honey and sugar, there was no other explanation.

To: Tachibaby Makoto❤  
Snd: 4:10 AM  
Msg: _no, its ok. thx tho. its rly sweet of u_

He put his phone on his bedside table and looked at the paper once more. He felt his eyes start to get heavy and he rested his hand on his chest. Maybe he should talk to the adviser at school later. He started to drift off when he heard his phone vibrate. He picked it up and read the name that flashed on the screen, feeling the sleep suddenly leaving him and his heart skip a beat.

_Tachibaby Makoto❤_

He answered with a shaky breath. "Hello?"

"Ah, Mikoshiba-san? Sorry, did I wake you?" he heard the soothing voice on the other end of the phone say. 

Seijuurou leaned down on his pillow as he chuckled breathily. "No, no. You didn't. Why did you call, Tachibana?" he asked, running a hand through his hair. 

"I thought it would be easier to say this to you out loud rather than just through a message," Tachibana said. Seijuurou waited for him to continue. "I... I know it might not be... all that helpful from someone like me, but... I wanted to say that no matter what university you go to, I'm sure you'll do fantastically."

Seijuurou felt the warmth that he had earlier slowly rise again in his chest. "What makes you say that, Tachibana?" he asked softly.

He heard him sigh on the other end of the conversation, as if Tachibana had a hard time finding the right words. Any words from him were already more than enough. "You're... a very talented and capable person, Mikoshiba-san. I'm sure anything you do in the future will be right for you. So that's why I think you'll do well at any university you choose," Tachibana said.

Seijuurou felt himself smile again at those words. "Hey, Tachibana," he said.

"Yes?"

"Be prepared next joint practice."

"What?"

"I'm going to ask you out properly."

"Eh?"

"So make sure that Nanase and Matsuoka are no where near you for a while."

"Eh?!"

"Good night, Makoto. Thank you," he said. He could hear Tachibana short circuiting on the other end, and he allowed himself to smile again. It was rather bold of him to call Tachibana by his first name, but he figured that it was appropriate given what he had just said to the boy. He heard a quiet breath on the line and his ears perked up.

"G-Good night... Seijuurou," he heard before the line went dead. 

He felt heat rush up his neck and pool on his cheeks and radiate through the tips of his ears. He covered his hands with his face and rolled over onto his stomach, hoping to smother the heat.

There was just absolutely, positively no _way_ he could get to sleep now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter is a little more serious, since it mentions the future and Seijuurou's graduation (i can't pull an ouran and just not let anyone graduate, i'd like to include sousuke at some later chapters, and since we mentioned a little brother, a minishiba might pop up in the future).
> 
> Hopefully I showcased just how thoughtful Makoto is. I know this season Makoto is thinking about his future, but we didn't see Seijuurou go through that last year (being a side character and all). But everyone goes through struggle with life choices, and even though in the beginning of season 2 we got to see Seijuurou off with a smile (or tears, if you were me), he probably agonized a lot over his decision, much like how the boys are right now. 
> 
> Also, typing dialogue as a text message is harrrrrrrd. I made it hard for myself i regret all things.


	6. A Hectic yet Happy Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meet the Mikoshibas! Or as Seijuurou likes to think "I am done with all this interrogation I am going to wrestle you people until you shut up"

Seijuurou felt exhaustion cloud his head and weigh down his eyes. 

He had finally managed to get to sleep at around 5 am after his conversation with Tachibana, and had opted to skip his morning cardio for a lazier Sunday. One missed day wouldn't hurt. 

It was unfortunate that he was woken by the sunlight streaming through the window, hitting him in the face and disrupting his sleep. He had began to turn over in the other direction to try and squeeze in a few more hours of sleep, when loud voices were heard through his bedroom door.

"Momo, you shouldn't bother Nii-chan! He's still sleeping!" a scolding feminine voice said, volume muffled through his door. A second later the door burst open and an exasperated "Momo!" was yelled a moment after.

Seijuurou felt the air leave his chest with a harsh whoosh as his little brother, Momotarou, jumped on his back. "Nii-chan! Get up! It's almost noon!" he yelled as he continued to bounce on him as if to jolt him awake. As if the initial jump wasn't enough already. 

Seijuurou felt a sleepy, irritated groan form in the back of his throat as he turned his head against the pillow to look at his sister with bleary eyes. Chieko stood by the doorway of his room, and shrugged rather pathetically at the state of her older brother currently getting shoved relentlessly into his mattress by her younger brother. "Sorry, Nii-chan. I couldn't keep him out longer," she said, eyeing Momotarou as he shifted to his knees and continued to bounce on Seijuurou. She winced, thinking that it couldn't be good for his back. 

Seijuurou hummed at her as if to try to placate her, but the force of Momo's bounces caused each noise coming out of him to sound like a pained grunt, and with little effort he twisted his body and hooked Momo by the neck, toppling both of them off of the bed and onto the floor.

"Gah! Sneak attack!!" Momo yelped as he struggled against the tangle of bed sheets now wrapping his legs. Seijuurou rolled both of them until he was pinning Momo in a headlock underneath him, and made to sit on Momo's back, rendering useless as he flailed helplessly beneath him.

Chieko made to sit cross legged on Seijuurou's bed and looked at her two brothers; Seijuurou eyeing Momo from above as Momo wailed and flapped his limbs underneath, failing miserably to unseat his brother and escape. "Good morning, Nii-chan," she said pleasantly.

"M-morning, Chie-chan," Seijuurou uttered, struggling through a yawn. His greeting to her almost was drowned out by Momo's voice, as he grunted at trying to pull himself out from underneath his older brother. "What time is it?" Seijuurou said, ruffling his hair to wake himself up.

Chieko looked at her phone. "11:48, Nii-chan. Did you stay up late? You don't normally sleep this long," she asked. Seijuurou shrugged his shoulders as he stretched the remaining sleep out of his body. 

"One day isn't so bad. C'mon, let's go down. I'm starving, and any longer, Momo might have a hernia underneath me," he said, turning his head to look at his brother, who was still struggling miserably on the floor below him.

"Nii-chan! Get. Off! You're. Heavy," he whined, using his arms as leverage to push himself up, yet still not budging an inch.

Seijuurou bellowed when he heard what he said. He reached over and ruffled Momo's hair roughly, eliciting more pathetic sounds from his little brother. "Of course I am, Momo! I'm at least ten centimeters taller than you, and I have more muscle," he said, still laughing as he made to stand.

Momo rolled out from under him and heaved breaths into his lungs, finally relieved from the weight. He sprung up to his feet and made to tackle Seijuurou, who just caught him in another headlock as he made his way down to the kitchen for breakfast. "Just you wait, Nii-chan! I'll get taller than you yet, and we'll see who's heavier than who!" Momo grunted, kicking his feet as he was dragged to the kitchen.

Chieko walked a short distance away from them, hoping not to get hit by Momo's kicks. She edged around them as she sat across from her older brother, watching as he finally let go of Momo and made to get rice and some of the left over breakfast on the counter.

Momo staggered out from Seijuurou's grip, coughing a few times as he gripped at his throat, heaving slightly. "Nii-chan, why did you sleep in for so long? You said you would show me your jogging route today," he whined, pouting as he crossed his arms.

Seijuurou swallowed his mouthful of egg and rice, looking apologetically at his younger brother. "Sorry, Momo. Next time, okay? I had trouble sleeping last night," he said, picking up a sausage and stuffing it in his mouth.

Chieko perked up at what he said. "Why? You went to bed early enough," she asked. Momo blinked at his brother.

"Was just thinking about universities, nothing else," he said between mouthfuls.

"I bet Nii-chan will go to a university with a lot of pretty girls!" Momo said, putting his hands behind his head as he began to daydream.

Chieko threw her slipper at his face, hitting him in the forehead. "Stupid, Nii-chan is _going_ to go to a university with a good swimming facility and a well funded sports health program. Right, Nii-chan?" she said, eyes wide and expectant.

Seijuurou swallowed, and smiled at her expression. "That's my little sister. You know exactly what I'm planning for, huh?" he said. Chieko beamed at his reply. 

Momo let out an impatient noise as he sat across from Chieko. "Ehh, Nee-chan I'm not saying he's _not_ going to a university with all that stuff. I'm just saying that Nii-chan will also definitely choose a university with lots of pretty girls," he said. Seijuurou had to hold back a laugh, hoping he wouldn't choke on his mouthful of rice.

Chieko clicked her tongue. "All you think about is girls, Momo," she muttered, rolling her eyes. Momo stuck out his tongue at her, and Seijuurou couldn't help the chuckle that escaped his lips.

Seijuurou felt his pocket wiggle, and he reached down and opened his phone, a smile slowly spreading across his face. Momo's eyebrows rose when he noticed the slight tinge of pink on his brother's ears. "Nii-chan, who are you texting?" he asked, tilting his head to sneak a peak at his brother's phone.

The phone snapped shut and slipped into Seijuurou's pocket. "No one in particular," he said.

"Aww, come on, who was it? Was it a girl?" Momo gasped . "Nii-chan, are you texting a girl?! Do you have a girlfriend?!"

Seijuurou side-stepped Momo as he made his way to the sink. He could hear Chieko make an irritated noise. "Momo, stop. Nii-chan doesn't have a girlfriend," she said. A moment later, she added worriedly, "You don't have a girlfriend, do you, Nii-chan?"

"No, I don't have a girlfriend, Chie-chan," he sighed. He watched as his sister's face slowly melted into a relieved.

She turned to Momo. "See?" she gloated. Momo groaned, clearly disappointed that there would be no pictures. Chieko sat at the table as Seijuurou washed his bowl, momentarily glowing with content. A moment later her expression went back to one of anxiety. "You don't have a boyfriend, do you, Nii-chan?" she said, suddenly hysterical.

Seijuurou nearly dropped the bowl back into the murky water when he heard her question. "Wha-," he blurted.

Momo made a high pitched wailing noise. "Nee-chan! There's no way Nii-chan likes boys!" he sputtered, covering his eyes with both his hands, clearly embarrassed at the question.

"Daddy likes both! Mom likes both, too! And it's not like Nii-chan said anything about _not_ liking boys," she stressed, anxiously pulling her pony tail down and twisting it in her hands.

Momo's hands moved from covering his face to tug at the sides of his head. "Nii-chan! Tell Nee-chan to stop! This is embarrassing," he wailed.

Chieko pulled harder at her ponytail. "How am I supposed to compete if Nii-chan has a _boy_ friend instead of a _girl_ friend," she cried.

"Why would you be competing, Nee-chan!" Momo yelled.

"I don't know, I feel like I have to!" she screeched back, still stressed.

"What?!"

"Oi! That's enough, you two!" Seijuurou bellowed, silencing both of them. He pinched the bridge of his nose, groaning inwardly at his siblings' behavior. "I'm still single, so you guys shouldn't stress yourselves about it."

"Then... let's see your phone," Chieko said, gaze intense. Seijuurou's eyes widened to glare down at her.

Momo snapped to attention. "Yeah, Nii-chan! Let's see who you're hiding from us!" he cried, lunging for his brother's pocket.

"Momo!" Seijuurou yelped as he turned, getting winded when Momo made to jump on his back instead. He reached in his pocket and held onto his phone, lifting his hand above his head.

"Come on, Nii-chan! Just a peek!" Chieko chimed in, jumping on the arm that held his phone, trying to weigh it down towards her. Seijuurou felt like a tree being climbed by two overgrown monkeys, with Momo flailing his legs on his back, and Chieko using her weight to try and drop his arm closer to the ground, he was surprised he hadn't toppled over yet as he shook from the effort of holding himself stock still.

The front door opened with a click, and three heads turned to see their parents enter the house, each with an armful of groceries.

Seijuurou met eyes with his dad, who merely arced an eyebrow when he saw his two youngest children dangling from his eldest son's body. "We're back," he managed for both him and his wife.

"Welcome home, da-Hey! Chieko!" Seijuurou started, immediate panic settling in his voice when Chieko managed to grab his phone from his hand. He lunged and grabbed her by the back of her shirt, and her feet slid across the wood floor as she failed to get away from him.

"Momo! Help!" she cried, tossing the phone over her head. Momo reached out and caught it, jumping off Seijuurou's back as he opened the phone.

"Oi! Momo!" Seijuurou cried, letting go of Chieko just as his mom stepped in. Chieko fell to the floor with dull thump, a blunt "Oof!" leaving her mouth.

"What's going on?" Seijuurou heard his mom say to her husband.

"We're about to find out," her husband answered her, clearly amused by his children's antics.

"Aha! Nee-chan! He was texting a girl!" Momo said triumphantly, waving the phone in the air, only to have it snatched from his hand.

Seijuurou sighed, obviously defeated, and allowed Chieko to lean over and read the name displayed on his phone. "'Tachibaby Makoto'? There's even a heart next to her name. Nii-chan, you really like her, don't you?" she said, eyebrows furrowed.

"Have you asked her out yet? Do you have pictures? She's your girlfriend, right?" Momo spat out, leaning into Seijuurou's face as he sat on the couch.

"I already told you guys, I don't have a girlfriend," he dodged lamely.

"Then who is this 'Makoto' you're texting?" Chieko said, eyeing the display name warily.

"He's the captain of the Iwatobi swim team," Seijuurou muttered. There was a beat before both his siblings went into a frenzy.

"Nii-chan! Why is there a heart next to the Iwatobi captain's name?"

"Aww, Nii-chan! I thought you liked girls!"

"Now what am I supposed to do! I can't compete with boys!"

"Who cares? Now Nii-chan won't introduce me to cute girls because he likes a boy!"

"All right, that's enough, you two. Momo, go help your mother with the groceries," his father cut in, Seijuurou's mother seemingly holding back laughter in the background. "Chieko, could you help me fix the cables behind the entertainment system?"

Momo made an annoyed sound as he dragged his feet towards the kitchen, and Chieko made a sound akin to clearing her throat of phlegm as she followed her dad into the living room. Seijuurou slumped into a dining room chair, staring at his phone screen. He felt a gentle hand on his shoulder, and looked over to see his mother reading the screen.

"He seems like a sweet boy, Sei-chan. Invite him over sometime," she murmured gently, kissing his temple as she went back into the kitchen. "Your father will drop you off at the academy later, sweetie," she called over her shoulder. Seijuurou smiled. 

If things went well tomorrow, he might just take her up on that dinner offer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I had asked on tumblr about Miko-sister headcanons, and I used the ones that I liked/ones that I came up with after I read a few of them. Thanks to everyone for all of those (I seriously could not think of headcanons for this girl). If you can't tell, I tried to make her a little bit of an older!brocon (how could she not be, have you heard that drama cd? who goes to see a movie with just their older brother lol... i'm an only child i wouldn't know i'm seriously asking), as well as the techie of the family. Still athletic, but definitely the techie. I also decided to call her "Chieko" meaning "wise child". I wanted to keep with the "o" ending sounds for this family, making them Seijuurou, Chieko and Momotarou. 
> 
> I feel like the Mikoshiba family wouldn't really have a problem with orientation. This mostly comes from Seijuurou himself, from one Drama CD (the one where Rin is in a maid outfit... you know the one) where he easily compliments Rin. 
> 
> Also, hopefully this chapter is funny because this episode of Free! was brutal I can still feel my heart breaking ok...


	7. Time Couldn't Go Any Slower...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We cut to a short break with Makoto, who seems antsy for some reason. His friends take notice, and that... doesn't seem to help?

Makoto tapped his foot under his desk, glancing up at the clock. He felt restless, impatient, as he twirled his pencil in his fingers, unable to take notes. He looked out the window, watching classes run laps for gym, and he began to tap impatiently on his desk.

"Tachibana-kun?" a voice snapped out of his thoughts. He faced forward to look at the teacher. "You seem a bit distracted. Do you need to go to the washroom?"

"Ah, no, sorry. I'm fine," he stuttered, waving his hands in front of him to appease the teacher. He stilled his knee and put his pencil down, placing his hands under him so he wouldn't fidget with them. He glanced over to see Haru staring at him with a funny expression. He tried to smile at him reassuringly, and Haru turned back to face the front.

Thirty minutes. Thirty minutes and it would only be lunch. Then he'd have another few hours to get through before joint practice at Samezuka. Before... before...

Makoto moved, placing his hands over his face as he felt heat creep up his neck to settle on his cheeks. Why was he so nervous? He thought to the conversation he had with Mikoshiba over the phone, heart beating pleasantly at the memory.

_"Be prepared next joint practice. I'm going to ask you out properly."_

That's what he had said, but now he was worried about it. It had been a whole day since they'd talked, aside from Mikoshiba's usual good morning texts. What if he'd changed his mind since then? What if he was pulling his leg? What if-

The bell rang to indicate the start of lunch, and Makoto let out a deep sigh. He looked up to Haru, who had moved to stand next to his desk, lunch in hand. "Let's go," Haru said. Makoto grabbed his lunch and followed.

Makoto went through the motions of lunch idly, hoping no one would notice his distraction. Well, he was positive that Haru noticed, but Haru barely said things in that department. He felt his phone vibrate in his pocket, and he hurriedly opened it to check the message.

Fr: Mikoshiba Seijuurou  
Snt: 12:33 PM  
Msg: _You ready for my great date proposal later?_ (๑・ω-)～♥

Makoto dropped his phone to cover his face, positive he'd just turned bright red. He could feel the steam coming off him in waves, and he had the image of someone being able to boil water above him.

"Mako-chan, are you okay? Why'd you drop your phone?" he heard Nagisa say as he picked up his phone. His reaction time was delayed by his initial shock, and before he could stop Nagisa from looking, he was already reading the text.

"Wow, Mako-chan! Is the Samezuka captain asking you out later?" he chirped, showing the message to Rei as he leaned over to read it. "You're so popular, Mako-chan! Will he ask you after practice?" 

Makoto saw Haru staring at him intently through the corner of his eye. He could feel himself sweat nervously under his scrutiny, and he decidedly chose not to turn to him. "Ah, I don't really know... when," Makoto replied lamely to Nagisa.

"Makoto-senpai, this is rather intriguing! I didn't know the other captain was so interested in you," Rei replied, obviously impressed and surprised by his lack of observation skills. 

"That's just because you're oblivious in the face of love, Rei-chan," Nagisa said, teasing him. Rei sounded indignant as they tried to argue back.

Makoto took his phone from Nagisa's hand before their argument got too involved (last time Nagisa had started arguing with Rei, he had flung his notebook into the pool by mistake). He glanced at the screen that still displayed the text he received, unable to reply. He figured that was the point, however. He had a feeling that the other captain was trying to embarrass him. It worked.

"Makoto," he heard a quiet voice next to him, and looked over to see Haru pointing at his lunch with his chopsticks. Makoto smiled at Haru and began to eat his lunch. 

Makoto thought about what was going to happen at joint practice today. What was he going to do? What was he going to say? Did he even want to go out with Mikoshiba?

Makoto stuffed a small octopus sausage in his mouth, scolding himself inwardly at his denial. Who was he kidding, with all the stolen glances at the Samezuka captain? With the way he listened for his bellowing voice as he spoke to his team, the way he laughed uninhibited at what someone said to him. And then there were his eyes, so gold and bright and full of mischief.

There was no doubt in Makoto's mind that he was going to say yes to Mikoshiba. He was just feeling incredibly anxious waiting for it. Way too anxious. Even his friends noticed. He sighed as he put away his lunch, the bell warning that class was going to start soon.

It was going to be a long few hours.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, short chapter. I apologize. I wanted to get a bit of Makoto in here, before we got the gang trying to cockblock. Yeah, they'll cockblock. I don't mind saying it. What else did you expect from them?


	8. Game Plan and... BREAK!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys try to interfere, garnering interesting results.

"He said WHAT?!" Rin yelled at Nagisa just outside the pool change room.

"Shhh! Rin-chan! Not so loud!" Nagisa scolded him in a whisper, and Rin hunched back into the circle, as he muttered his apology.

"So... what do we do?" Rin asked, looking at Haru whose face was scrunched in thought.

"I told you, we should have poisoned his mackerel," was his quiet, harshly whispered reply.

"And I keep telling _you_ nobody eats enough mackerel in order for that to work," Rin whispered back, annoyed. "Except for you. So unless you're telling people how to assassinate you-"

"Can I ask a question?" Rei interrupted before the argument got too heated. Everyone looked up at him from their circle of conspiracy. "Why are we trying to prevent Captain Mikoshiba's dare proposal anyway?"

"Because he'll corrupt Makoto!" Rin hissed, and Haru nodded in agreement. "Just look at him, Rei." Rin grabbed Rei's shoulder and turned him around, pointing at his captain from across the pool incognito. "Does that not look like a man who would take Makoto's innocence away?"

Rei eyed the captain from across the pool, before leaning in to Rin in doubt. "You talk as though Makoto-senpai is entirely too innocent to defend himself," he whispered to him.

Rin scoffed at Rei's obvious lack of understanding. "Makoto's not too innocent to defend himself," he replied, turning him back to the group and leaning in the circle. "He just leaves himself too open! He's always getting flirted with."

"That's right, Rei-chan," Nagisa whispered, cupping his hand to Rei so he could hear better. "Mako-chan gets a lot of confessions at school, right Haru-chan?"

Haru nodded and looked at Rei. "Because he's so nice, sometimes the people he rejects don't take the hint, so he ends up going out with them anyway," he whispered.

Nagisa nodded his head vigorously. "I've gone with Haru-chan a bunch of times to follow around Mako-chan and his dates," he whispers, which piques Rei and Rin's interest. "The girls are fine, but the boys..."

"Makoto's gone out with boys, too?!" Rin begins to yell, but switches into a whisper when he notices some of his teammates passing him by. "Why doesn't he just flat out reject them?"

"He does," Haru says to Rin as they watched the Samezuka team begin to exit the change room.

"But, you know Mako-chan..." Nagisa said as his sentence trailed off. Rin clicked his tongue, knowing all too well what that sentence implied.

"So... we're doing this to protect Makoto-senpai?" Rei said as he leaned on his hands. 

"Just to help out Mako-chan!" Nagisa said cheerily to him. "Oh, we should call ourselves the 'Mako-chan Protection Squad'!" 

"No, Nagisa," Rin said, pressing his palm into his forehead. "No stupid names."

"I like it," Haru muttered.

"What?!"

"Yay! Then that's what we're called!" Nagisa cheered, putting his hand in the circle. The other three placed their hands on top of him, Rin last, still exasperated by the name.

"Ready?" Nagisa asked as he looked around the circle. "Aaaaand... Break!"

 

"And then, Mako-chan, Rei-chan said to me..." Rin phased out of Nagisa's conversation with Makoto. He watched the captain who was across the pool and caught his eye. Rin turned his head quickly.

"He knows," he whispered to Haru, frantic.

"Then he should know to stop," Haru replied, looking at the Samezuka captain as he turned his back.

"Do you think that the captain will wait for an opportune time to ask Makoto-senpai?" Rei asked in a whisper to them.

"That's why we have to stay with Makoto at all times," Rin replied. "I don't like this, though. He totally knows."

"Is that a bad thing?" Rei asked.

"He may be loud and boisterous, but he's smart," Rin sighed as he rubbed the back of his head. "He's not the captain for nothing." Rei conceded his agreement. 

 

The rest of the practice had Makoto left confused at why everyone was always around him, even more so when the Samezuka captain would come by.

"Yo, Tachibana!" Mikoshiba yelled to him.

"U-uh, Mikoshiba-san!" Makoto stuttered at him. The captain was striding over to him, and Haru noticed Makoto gradually get more and more nervous.

"Mako-chan!" Nagisa yelled, and not moments after, Rin and Nagisa were at his side, chatting to him about something unimportant, pulling him away from the Samezuka captain. Rin threw a glance over his shoulder to see the captain arch an eyebrow at him. Rin felt his shoulders tense as he continued walking next to Makoto.

"Nagisa-kun," Rei whispered as he watched Haru and Rin stand next to the pool lane that Makoto was currently swimming in, the Samezuka captain eyeing the two boys. "Do you think the captain's given up? Practice is almost over."

"Mmm... I don't know Rei-chan, maybe," he replied lightly.

Rei looked out to the pool where swimmers were going through their last laps, before looking back to Nagisa, who was swinging his legs on the bench. "Nagisa-kun," Rei began, looking at his friend. Nagisa looked up at him. "Why are you so caught up with helping Rin-san and Haruka-senpai?"

Nagisa flashed him a grin before giggling. "I'm not, Rei-chan," he said, looking over at Rin and Haru, who were now helping Makoto out of the pool. "I'm only doing it because it's fun, and it sort of shakes things up, don't you think?" Rei sighed at his answer. He decided that he didn't really expect anything less.

 

The boys had changed and headed out, with Rin walking them to the gate. 

"I guess the plan was a success?" he whispered to Haru as they headed out. Haru nodded slightly, still on edge a bit. He would feel better about it if they were off the campus.

Makoto checked his phone before closing it. "Is everyone all set, then?" he asked kindly, and everyone nodded at him. "Alright, I guess that's it. We'll see you later, Rin."

"Ah, wait, Mako-chan! Can I borrow your phone for a second?" Nagisa asked. "I need to call my mom, but my phone's dead."

"Okay, sure," Makoto said, handing him his phone. Nagisa walked away for a bit, and Rin turned to Rei, who was looking at Nagisa oddly.

"Something wrong?" Rin asked, startling Rei out of his thoughts.

"Uh, no. Nothing really," he replied. Haru looked at Makoto.

"I need to buy mackerel on the way home," he said. Rin rolled his eyes, muttering about how he'd shrivel up and turn into a fish.

"Did you want me to come with you, Haru?" Makoto asked. "I think I need to do some shopping myself, actually." Haru nodded at him.

"There's a small store on the way back. I should go, too," Rin replied. "I ran out of toothpaste."

Nagisa bounced back with his hands in his pockets. "Are we going shopping? Is there candy at the shop?" he winked at Makoto as the boys started walking. They had been walking for about ten minutes when Makoto frantically searched his pockets.

"Sorry, guys, I think I left my phone in the change room. I'll catch up!" he yelled as he ran back. 

"I should go with him," Haru muttered as he watched Makoto run off.

"It's fine, Haru. The captain already gave up," Rin said. "Besides, what are the odds that Makoto will run into the captain now? He's probably in his room already." Haru shrugged as they continued walking to the store. Rin noticed that Rei was staring at Nagisa funny, who had the expression of perfect innocence on his face. Rin squinted at him. "Something wrong, Rei?"

"Nagisa-kun, didn't you borrow Makoto's phone?" Rei blurted, eyeing him. Nagisa opened his eyes dramatically at Rei, seemingly shocked. He reached into his pocket, producing Makoto's phone in his hand. 

"Oops, I guess I forgot to give it to him, huh?" Nagisa said. Haru stepped in front of Nagisa, and Rin stared at him, suspicious. 

"Nagisa, open the phone," Rin said, standing next to Haru. 

"Eh? Why?" he asked, still feigning innocence. 

" _Nagisa_ ," Rin enunciated. "Open Makoto's phone." Nagisa opened his phone, and Haru grabbed it, searching through the messages. 

"Rin," Haru said, and Rin leaned over to look. 

Fr: Mikoshiba Seijuurou  
Snt: 7:03 PM  
Msg: _pretend u forgt smth and come back. i'll wait til 7:45_

"Oh no," Rin muttered, reading the next message.

To: Mikoshiba Seijuurou  
Snd: 7:04 PM  
Msg: _ok_

"What time is it now?" Rin asked suddenly. Haru looked at the top of the phone.

"Seven thirty-eight," he replied, closing the phone. Both boys looked at each other, before sprinting as fast as they could back to Samezuka.

"Nagisa-kun," Rei looked down at Nagisa as they followed Rin and Haru slowly. "Is your phone actually dead?"

Nagisa laughed. "No," he replied, before quickly adding more at Rei's stern gaze. "But I really did need to call my mom, Rei-chan! I just wanted to see who had texted Mako-chan."

Rei clicked his tongue. "Honestly, Nagisa-kun, I thought you were going to help them?"

"Not at all, Rei-chan! I only thought I'd do it since it was interesting!" he replied happily as he began to skip. "But then I saw Mako-chan's message, and that was more interesting!"

Rei sighed, concluding that he hoped he'd never be on the receiving end of Nagisa's easily won interest, as they walked back to Samezuka, far behind Rin and Haru.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spoiler alert: They don't make it.
> 
> Next chapter will be Seijuurou's date proposal! Look forward to it.


	9. W-will you...?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Makoto ran for a long time, so Seijuurou better not mess up this confession, y'know?

Makoto skidded to a stop as he rounded the corner to where the benches were close by the change rooms. He glanced at the nearby clock. _Seven forty_ , he thought, wiping at the back of his neck, panting a little. He looked around before his eyes stopped at Mikoshiba, leaning his head back against the wall, eyes closed as he waited silently.

Makoto took a moment to watch him from where he stood, admiring his features. Makoto briefly wondered if he was worried that he wouldn't show, if the expression on his face indicated anxiety as he sat there in anticipation, trying not to be hopeful, but hoping nonetheless. 

Makoto wasn't sure how long he stood there, until he jumped a bit at a trill ringing. Mikoshiba pressed a button on his phone a moment later, eyes opening, and Makoto noticed that he looked so devastated, realizing that he didn't know that Makoto had shown up and was now standing at the end of the hall. 

Makoto momentarily thought of how handsome he looked when he was serious.

"Mikoshiba-san!" he called out, and he watched as Mikoshiba turned his head sharply at the sound of his voice, eyes going wide with disbelief before he blinked once, then again, features slowly turning into hope so measurable it made Makoto blush. 

"Tachibana," he said as he walked up to him, and Makoto looked down at the floor as he rubbed his neck, feeling a warm presence standing in front of him, knowing that if he looked up, Mikoshiba would be standing very close to him. "I almost began to think you weren't going to show."

Despite himself, Makoto felt a puff of laughter rush past his lips, and he finally looked up at Mikoshiba, staring intently into warm, gold eyes, crinkling at the corners with relief and joy. "I did say I was coming," he murmured quietly, stepping forward, chests barely touching each other.

He heard a chuckle as Mikoshiba ducked his head, as if to hide his embarrassment. "Yeah, I guess you did," he replied a moment later, the faintest of blushes spreading across one cheek.

Makoto stood there looking at Mikoshiba, belatedly realizing that it was a bit awkward standing there in silence, as close as they were. He swallowed and cleared his throat. "So... um..." he mumbled. Mikoshiba blinked at him before realizing a bit belatedly about their rather intimate body proximity.

"Oh, right," he began nervously, taking Makoto's hands in his own, threading their fingers through, and Makoto hoped his hands weren't sweating, hoped that Mikoshiba couldn't feel his pulse racing through his finger tips. "I guess I should start right?"

Makoto nodded, smiling at him. "Whenever you're ready is fine," he teased, and he felt Mikoshiba's hands give his a squeeze. 

"Tachibana Makoto," Mikoshiba began, before pausing a bit, eyebrows drawn together. "Wait, is that too formal? Should I start over?"

Makoto couldn't help the chuckle that slipped past his lips as he watched the Samezuka captain fluster in front of him. "It's okay," he said gently, getting Mikoshiba to look at him. "Just say whatever you want, I'll listen to all of it."

He watched Mikoshiba smile in appreciation at his patience, and he took a quick breath to calm himself before he started over. "Tachibana Makoto," he began again. "Our teams have had joint practices for some time now. It has been through those practices that I've gotten to know you, as a fellow captain, as a fellow leader, as a peer, and as a friend. Through learning more about you, I began to understand that I wanted to get to know you more, and I asked for your number, which you've given to me."

Makoto hummed, remembering the moment. "How am I doing so far?" Mikoshiba asked, a boyish grin pulling at his lips.

"Good. You sound nervous," he joked. He watched Mikoshiba bite at his lower lip, holding in a laugh.

"That obvious, huh?" he replied with a mischievous grin. "But through our texts and late night talks, I began to admire you as a person. How kind and considerate you are. Not to mention how cute you can be." This earned Mikoshiba a blush from Makoto, who broke eye contact momentarily to look at the wall. "That's why I would like to get to know you as more than just friends."

Makoto felt Mikoshiba release his hands as he took a step back, fists balled up next to him. "Tachibana Makoto. I like you, will you go out with me next Saturday?"

Makoto blinked up at golden eyes, noting the serious way they regarded him. He smiled gently at him before stepping closer. "Yes, I'll go out with you," he replied softly.

Mikoshiba blinked, as if not expecting the words to come out of Makoto's mouth. "Wait, r-really?" he stuttered.

"Yes, really. I'd love to go out with you next Saturday," came the gentle, laughing reply. He watched wide, gold eyes melt into sheer joy, and Makoto hardly had time to react as he was pulled into a warm hug.

"Oh my God. Thank God, thank you," Mikoshiba uttered breathlessly, before pressing a mindless kiss on Makoto's forehead. Makoto gasped and a few seconds later Mikoshiba realized what he did, letting go almost immediately. Makoto could feel the blush begin to spread. "Oh, my God, I'm so sorry, that was so forward of me. I shouldn't have done that."

Makoto covered his face with his hands, hiding his embarrassed joy at the contact, hoping to hide his emotions from Mikoshiba for just a bit longer. "No it's okay," the words were muffled by his palms, eyes still covered. "I don't mind. I'm just embarrassed by how surprised I got."

He felt warm, strong arms come around him, pulling him into a solid chest as Mikoshiba chuckled above him. "You're so cute," he murmured, and Makoto could feel his lips mouth the words on the top of his head. He allowed himself to relax in the embrace as they enjoyed the silent company, before he could hear frantic echoing footsteps, and he groaned silently in his mind.

"That might be Rin and Haru," he mumbled as he pushed himself off Mikoshiba's chest.

"Are you not going to tell them?" Mikoshiba asked.

Makoto looked back before gave what he hoped to be a reassuring smile. "I will eventually, but I want them to be a bit calmer first," he replied.

Mikoshiba seemed to understand. Rin and Haru had an odd protectiveness reserved just for Makoto, after all. "Then I'll make our date Saturday the best one you've had, so that you won't have any reservations of telling them when the time comes," he winked, and Makoto couldn't help the giggle that escaped him.

"Makoto!" Rin shouted, eyeing the captain behind him. His expression gave the impression to Makoto that he was silently threatening his Captain while hoping he wasn't going to get murdered during swim practice. Makoto had a feeling that he was too elated for that at the moment.

"Let's go," Haru said as he came up next to him, tugging on his arm as they began to walk away.

"Thanks for talking with me, Tachibana," Mikoshiba called out behind him, and all three of them turned around to watch Mikoshiba wave them good bye. "Talk to you soon."

Makoto smiled before he was bombarded with questions, running along the lines of 'What did he do?' and 'Are you okay?' and 'If he does anything weird, tell us and we'll step in right away', and Makoto did his best to reassure them that everything would be fine.

He avoided the topic of his date this upcoming Saturday. That could wait until after he told them how he really felt about Mikoshiba.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> cute little date proposal chapter as apology to you guys for neglecting this fic for so long. also, this fic will start to develop a bit of a plot, a small one, rather than just going on with the fluff i've been having here. i do need to move the story after all.


	10. Not Prepared

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seijuurou maybe should have kept his mouth shut about his date.

"Onii-chan!" Chieko exclaimed loudly from Seijuurou's bed as she stared at him. He could see the fake betrayal etched across her face, and he fought to hide the sigh that was working its way out of his lungs.

"I can't believe Nii-chan has a date," Momo's words were muffled by the pillow he had, lying face down on the floor. Seijuurou took the time to blatantly ignore the both of them as they watched him wander around his room, trying to pick out a shirt.

"This isn't happening," Chieko whined, pulling at her ponytail. "I don't like that Onii-chan is dating someone!"

He couldn't help the laugh that escaped him. He moved over to his bed and ruffled his little sister's hair. "I'm technically not dating him," he said. "I'm going on _a_ date with him."

Chieko puffed her cheeks at his answer. "That's almost the same thing," she complained. "It's the _gateway_ to dating full time, and then you'll fall in love and then you'll leave the family and then you'll forget all about us!"

Momo snorted from his spot on the ground, eyeing his sister with squinted eyes. "How is he going to forget about us?" he asked. "You're so loud all the time, it's impossible to ignore you."

Momo yelped when Chieko hurled a pillow at him. Seijuurou sighed as they bickered, filtering through his clothes. He was meeting Makoto at the mall later, and he wanted a good first impression, especially considering the conversation he'd had with Matsuoka before the weekend.

_"Captain!" Seijuurou turned his head to find Matsuoka stalk up to him._

_"Can I help you?"_

_He watched Matsuoka clench and unclench his fists as he stood there. It looked like he was choosing his words carefully. "Y-you," he stuttered a bit when he looked up at his captain, "y-you should watch your back."_

_Seijuurou blinked a bit. He wasn't expecting that. "I'm sorry?" he stared at Matsuoka._

_Matsuoka coughed a bit, regaining composure. "Just letting you know," he fumbled on, "that we'll be watching you. Carefully. Don't mess this up." Seijuurou watched Matsuoka turn away, leaving him behind to stare at him with confusion._

He wasn't stupid, Matsuoka probably met that they'd be watching. Meaning that he technically wouldn't be _alone_ with Makoto on his date. Meaning that he had to be on his best behaviour. 

Meaning that any pressure he'd already put on himself was just multiplied tenfold. 

Seijuurou huffed as he pulled on his button up shirt, the top two remaining unbuttoned, revealing a dark shirt underneath. It would have to do, he supposed to himself as he grabbed his things and shoved them into his pockets. Anymore agonizing and he'd be late, which would already be a strike for him. He did not like this at all.

Why couldn't going on a date with Makoto be easier? Why did Makoto have such overprotective friends?

A flash of that warm, genuine smile in Seijuurou's head told him exactly why.

He headed out the door, hearing his siblings' argument from the top window as he walked down the street to catch the train. He was meeting Makoto at the mall, taking the opportunity to use all the resources there for their date.

He sat down on the train and thought for a moment. Was a mall date too boring? Was it too... normal? Should Seijuurou have tried for some amusement park tickets? Did Makoto even like the amusement park? Was there an event happening at the aquarium that might have been better to go to? Or were the movies a better idea? Except the movies didn't give you an opportunity to talk, and Seijuurou wasn't too sure what movies were good right now...

He sighed as he got of the train, turning the corner towards the mall. If Matsuoka hadn't approached him beforehand, he might be less nervous. 

Seijuurou found a place outside the mall to sit and wait. He was just going around in circles in his head about how things should go. If he was nervous, Makoto would be able to tell, and it would get awkward. He had to relax.

He saw Makoto run in through the entrance a few minutes later, looking frantically around, probably for him. He stood up and waved, catching his attention.

"Yo!" Makoto turned his head at his voice and took long strides towards him.

"I'm so sorry I'm late," the words came rushing out of him, catching Seijuurou by surprise. "I had to deal with the twins, and then I couldn't decide on what to wear, and then my mom - oh my gosh, my _mom_ -"

Seijuurou laughed at the hurried explanation, catching Makoto by the shoulder and leading him inside. "It's fine, don't worry," he said as he led him through the mall. "I was only here for a few minutes anyway."

They walked briefly in companionable silence when Seijuurou turned around almost sharply, very nearly giving himself a crick in his neck. "Something wrong?" Makoto asked him.

"Did you hear footsteps right behind us?" he asked warily as he kept going, arm still slung around Makoto's shoulder. He noticed Makoto look rather sullen, and he was met with sheepish green eyes.

"Ah, well," Makoto began, "Haru told me a while ago he'd probably follow us."

Seijuurou blinked. "That's rather forward of him," he replied, although he was glad to know that he wasn't the only one that was approached. "Are you worried?"

He watched Makoto glance back in the direction of the footsteps, eyes landing on a flurry of shoes and a rush of bodies before they disappeared around the corner. "No," he said. "Because we're going to ignore them, and have a good time."

Seijuurou chuckled and pulled him into a bakery before ordering two donuts. "I agree," he replied.

\---

Despite the group following behind them, Seijuurou mused to himself, he found that he could actually enjoy his date. Something about Makoto made him less nervous about screwing up, maybe it was the way he smiled at him, or the gentle cadence of his voice, but whatever it was, Seijuurou was set at ease, and he was actually able to do the things he wanted to do for Makoto.

Even if he was a little wary of the audience.

"I'll get that," he said, paying for Makoto's coffee and sandwich as they sat down in the cafe by the mall. He sighed a little, noting a group of heads just in view of the cafe window, sitting at a bench in the park. "How is it?"

"Good," Makoto mumbled through a mouthful of sandwich. "You didn't have to pay for it, though."

Seijuurou waved a hand at him as he took a bite of his bagel. "Don't be ridiculous," he said. "I invited you out, I should pay for the first date." Makoto mumbled something into his coffee and Seijuurou felt himself raise an eyebrow. "Sorry, I didn't quite catch that."

"I just," he huffed, and Seijuurou almost started laughing at how cute it was, "I wanted it to be just us on our date."

Seijuurou felt his heart drop a little at how small Makoto sounded. He wished he could have done something about it, but Makoto's friends would follow them-

_Unless._

"Makoto," he began, "how fast can you run?"

He saw Makoto blink up at him in confusion. "Kind of fast?" he replied, uncertain. "But not for very long. I'm not a long distance sprinter."

"Okay," Seijuurou pulled out his phone and texted Makoto. "I'm going to go to the washroom. You leave first. No, no, don't protest. Try and lose them, and if anybody waits around for me, I'll try and lose them. Meet where I've texted you in about an hour."

Seijuurou got up, giving Makoto a reassuring smile, before heading to the bathroom. He stood there for fifteen minutes before leaving, noticing that Makoto was gone, and that the park still had two people waiting for him. 

So he booked it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CRYING I FINALLY UPDATED
> 
> HELLO FIRST SHIP I AM SORRY I NEGLECTED YOU I STILL LOVE YOU

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on tumblr at childofcolour!


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